This invention relates generally to timepieces of the electronic type and more particularly to an electronic timepiece having hands and having means for indicating the condition of the internal battery by means of the hands. In a conventional analog quartz crystal timepiece of the prior art having hour, minute and second hands, the approaching termination of the battery life is displayed by detecting the battery voltage reduction and then advancing the second hand by two second sections on the face of the watch at intervals of two seconds. Normally the second hand is driven once a second over a one second section. As a result the timepiece keeps the proper time, but the second hand passes through a greater angle of rotation with each movement and at a reduced repetition rate of movement. For a two-hand timepiece, having only hour and minute hands, such as a dress watch or a ladies' watch, in the prior art, exhaustion of the battery life is indicated by means of a light emitting diode or by automatically putting the timepiece forward in its time indication on the dial, for example, by ten minutes or so. When the light emitting diode is used, there must be a limitation in current consumption so the design of the timepiece and its cost become high. Also when the timepiece is automatically put forward or back by a certain magnitude of time as seen on the dial, the timepiece may be regarded by the user as being out of order. Thus the special condition which warns the user that the battery life is near exhaustion, may be ignored.
What is needed is a battery life indication for an electronic wristwatch, which is readily identifiable to the user and which employs the hands on the face of the watch dial.